Parlor bowling-alley.



PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

W. E. FALVEY. PARLOR BOWLING ALLEY.

APPLIOATIUN FILED JUNE 25, 1906.

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WALTER E- Bmvs v Arm/way THE NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion. I I

WALTER E. FALVEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PARLOH BOWLING-ALLEYi Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed June 25, 1906. Serial No. 323,404.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WALTER E. FALvEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improved Parlor Bowling-Alley, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to a parlor garneboard oflthe bowling-alley type; and it consists of a game-board havingan outline and constructionand ofv elements in combination therewith, all-substantially as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is aperspective view, on a diminutive scale, of a parlor-bowling-alley board in accordance with the several features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an outside end elevation, on an enlarged scale, at but of only part of the excepting as to the features of this invention,

all as well known or otherwise proper or desired, and therefore needing no particular description herein, or illustration in the drawlngs.

B is the head, and Ois the foot, of the alleyA.

D D are the several spots at the foot portion of the board A, indicating where the pins E E are to be placed.

F F are the round bowling-balls, which may be of any desired number, and they and the pins are to be of proper size and weight relative to each other and to the dimensions of the alley, and either of them may be made of wood or of any other suitable material, and for the balls ordinary marbles in some instances might be used. c

G G are pockets along the end and side edges of the alley at its rear portion C only. These pockets are severally numbered, as shown, or otherwise designated, as may be wished, and, further, they are each of the same but a suitable size and shape to permit it. These pockets are useful for catching a ball as it rolls about the board after it has struck the pins, and thereby an additional feature of interest, according to any suitable playing of a game of tenpins on the board.

H is aninclined wayextending lengthwise along the central portion of the alley Afrom its head toward its foot, butfor a portion only .of the length of the alley, andits highest part is at the head and its lowest part or end toward the pinsand meeting-the top surface of the alley A. V

I is a figure or automaton in miniature to represent a man, tioned and stands in a well or space J at the head of the inclined way- H, and its body K is bent forward toward the alley, and its legs L are also bent at their knee portions and all prescribed rules,-is afforded fora count in the I This automaton. I is Sfifiotherwise, so as --to substantially represent the automaton as in the position of a player in a regular game of tenpins for throwing a ball toward thepins. In this position of the automaton its right arm M depends from the shoulder N and the hand 0 is open, and its palm is toward the inclined Way, and the hand is vertical and enters more or less a longitudinal horizontal running-groove I of the inclined Way. The depending arm M is hung on a fixed horizontal pin Q at the shoulder N of the automaton, so as to swing thereon and in and through a vertical plane coincident with the vertical plane of and through said groove P of the inclined way H. R is a coiled wire spring surrounding said pin Q and at one end made fast to the arm M and at the other end to the body K and so that a backward swing or, in other words, a swing of the arm away from the head of the alley is against the tension of the spring and a swing of the arm toward the head of the alley is with and secured by and through the then reaction of the spring.

S is a board having an opening T and at its lower end hinged, as at U, to the head of the alley A and so as to be placed and held in an upright or vertical position or to be folded upon the alley. The board S in its upright position is a frame, as it were, Fig. 1, for the automaton I, which stands in its opening T, and on it is fixed a chute or way V to receive and hold several balls F. The chute V is open at and along its upper side, so that the balls can be readily placed in and removed from it. Again, it is at right angles and slightly inclined to the length of the alley, and its lower end is alongside of the groove P of the inclined way H at the right of the swinging arm M, Fig. 2 more particularly, and so that as it issues from it it will pass directly into the said groove P, the width of whichis such as to admit one ball only to enter it at one and the same time.

W is a handle attached to the swinging mm M and extending along in front of the lower open and delivery end of the ball-chute V and so as to close. and keep said end closed in both swinging movements of the arm, but to expose or open'the same for the passage of a ball,'but only one ball at a time, into the groove P of the inclined way of the alleyboard when the swinging arm is in its farthest .or extreme backward position.

X is a fixed stop or abutment on the body ofthe automaton for limiting the forward swing of the arm M of the automaton.

The alley-board has a raised guard at and along its parallel sides and footto keep the balls from rolling off of the alley.

'Z is a fixed stop or abutment on the body of the automaton for limiting the backward swing of the arm M of the automaton.

The described game-board obviously is capableof use in playing the game of tenpins on a miniature scale.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A parlor-bowling-alley board, provided with a grooved inclined way at its head and lengthwise of the board, a fixed automaton at the head end of said way, and having its body and leg portions in the position of a player in throwing a ball, and having a swinging arm with the hand open and presented to the head of said inclined way, a spring connected, at one end, to said swinging arm and,

at the other end, to a fixture of the alley, a

stationary inclined and transverselyarranged chute for receiving the balls and opening, at its lower end, to the groove of said inclined way, and a device on the swinging arm to close and keep closed the delivery end of said chute in both the forward and backward movements of the swinging arm, and to open it only when the swinging arm is in its extreme backward position, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of 'two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER E. FALVEY.

Witnesses ALBERT W. BROWN, SUMNER B. ROBINSON. 

